Russia's Foreign Ministry on Syria, Ukraine, and Unlawful US Sanctions

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Endless US orchestrated aggression in Syria continues in its 10th year, NATO countries and Israel complicit in endless war on the republic and its people.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) explained that there's "considerable tension" in areas controlled by US-supported jihadists — "primarily (in) Idlib (province) and east of the Euphrates" river.

Turkey is an unreliable Russian partner for restoring peace to the war-torn country — wannabe sultan Erdogan pursuing his own imperial aims in the country's northwest.

MZ explained that US-supported ISIS, al-Nusra, and likeminded jihadists continue operating in the so-called de-escalation zone that's far from it — because of aggression by the US, its jihadist proxies and others supported by Turkey.

MZ: Jihadists "increased the number of shelling raids on the positions of the Syrian Government's forces and nearby settlements." 

"On July 11, they launched yet another attack on (Russia's) Khmeimim air base using two drones." 

"On July 14, a landmine blew up along the route of a Russian-Turkish patrol mission near the town of Ariha, reportedly wounding several servicemen." 

MZ stressed that Moscow will strike back strongly to attacks on its forces, adding:

Some areas east of the Euphrates that are illegally occupied by US forces prevent restoration of peace to Syria.

Russia is committed to preserving the country's sovereign independence and territorial integrity — what the US, NATO and Israel oppose.

MZ acknowledged what she said little about before.

The Pentagon and CIA arm, train, fund, and direct jihadist fighters in areas US forces illegally occupy, deploying these elements where they want them used, at times supporting them by terror-bombing.

Jihadists arrested by Syrian forces said they were trained by "US instructors" to attack Russian and Syrian facilities.

US-led war on Syria and its people by hot and other means aims to starve and otherwise immiserate the population into submission.

Russia's Foreign Ministry prepared a report on human rights abuses in Ukraine — a fascist police state since the Obama regime toppled its legitimate government in February 2014.

MZ noted continued "violation(s) of fundamental rights and freedoms" in Ukraine under virtual US puppet Vladimir Zelensky, adding:

On the phony pretext of combatting nonexistent Russian aggression and Donbass freedom fighters for democracy, refusing to accept coup d'etat fascist rule, Kiev commits major breaches of international humanitarian law.

Included are "persecution (of) political opponents, independent journalists, and media outlets, as well as undesirable members of public organizations," said MZ.

Russian-speaking Ukrainian nationals are mistreated as fifth column threats.

Anyone supporting the rule of law and other democratic values risks arrest, brutalization, or elimination.

MZ: Zelensky regime officials are also "pursuing an intentional policy of justifying and glorifying Nazi criminals and their Ukrainian abettors." 

"The distorted interpretation of the historical events of those years propagated by the officials, especially in education, is aimed at cultivating nationalist sentiments among the general public and primarily among the younger generation."

Far-right extremist groups in the country operate freely, ethnic minorities targeted by their thugs.

There are rampant numbers "of incidents of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and vandalism, targeting religious sites and places of worship."

There's no evidence that Zelensky regime officials are doing anything to turn things around responsibly.

The Trump regime and Congress increased military aid to Ukraine — a nation facing no external or internal threats.

Yet the US is supplying heavy weapons and munitions.

MZ: "(T)he 'party of war' in Kiev" is encouraged by the Trump regime to sabotage Minsk conflict resolution terms Obama hardliners earlier prevented from being enforced.

Kiev-instigated hostilities in Donbass continue, promoted by Washington on the phony pretext of a "Russian threat" that doesn't exist and never did, no "Russian aggression" ever occurring.

Commenting on the Trump regime's war on Russian national gas by sanctioning its commercial projects and threatening more on nations and entities involved with Moscow's Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream gas pipelines, MZ noted that it's part of longstanding US hostility toward Moscow that's "nothing new," adding:

Pompeo updated Trump regime guidance "on Section 232 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)" — that unlawfully imposed sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.

The section now includes sanctions that always breach the UN Charter and other international law when unilaterally imposed, threatening them on "investments or other activities related to a broader scope of Russian energy export pipelines," including Nord Stream 2 and the second line of TurkStream. 

"Persons making such investments or engaging in such activities, including but not limited to financing partners, as well as pipe-laying vessels and related engineering service providers engaging in the deployment of the pipelines, may be subject to (lawless) sanctions pursuant to Section 232."

MZ noted that the more she watches Pompeo's interviews and other public statements, it reminds her of the height of US Cold War hostility toward Soviet Russia.

Moscow's pipelines are part of its legitimate commercial operations. "We…told the Americans as much," MZ explained.

Its remarks explaining rights upheld by international law fall on deaf ears in Washington.

Diplomatic outreach to its ruling regimes is a waste of time whenever undertaken.

MZ: The US is "pursuing its own…economic interests" that time and again aim to undermine the economies of other states — notably Russia, China, Iran, N. Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, among other nations.

"There is nothing (too underhanded and unlawful) that Washington would not do to achieve its goals."

The US exploits allies and adversaries alike, how the scourge of imperialism operates — wars by hot and other means its favored strategies, the rule of law never interfering with its hostile actions against other countries.

US war on humanity rages at home and abroad.

When will the world community of nations recognize that America is their mortal enemy and no longer recognize it as an ally?

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My two Wall Street books are timely reading:

"How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion, and Class War"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/how-wall-street-fleeces-america/

"Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/banker-occupation-waging-financial-war-on-humanity/